An American university owned by the Mormon Church has suspended two students for same-sex attraction.
Ricky Escoto and Matthew Grierson, aged 21, were told to leave Brigham Young University or face suspension for breaking the school`s code that forbids ‘homosexual conduct’.
"I figured as long as I remained chaste the church would welcome me," Escoto told the Salt Lake Tribune. He was accused of receiving gifts from other men, visiting gay chat rooms, sexual conduct with another man in his apartment and dating men.
In mid-March, Grierson was charged with kissing a man on campus and holding hands with a man in a local mall.
BYU offered counselling against "inappropriate same-sex behaviour, including but not limited to dating, holding hands, kissing, romantic touching, showering, clubbing, etc., as well as regular association with homosexual men."